The last-minute score was Clausen's 24th goal of the season. He finished as the leading scorer for Delbarton and all of Morris County.

Clausen has always worked on improving his game, and the hard work showed this season.

"Since I started high school, I've been hitting the weight room a lot, trying to get stronger, trying to get faster," the 6-foot-4 senior said. "I play with my dad every weekend. We go out to a local high school, do shooting practice and work on finishing."

After seeing Clausen have success all season, it didn't surprise his teammates or coaches when he scored the title-clinching goal.

Senior captain Greg Seifert said Clausen quickly became a player the rest of the team could rely on.

"He made big steps in his own playing. Just his finishing as a forward," Seifert said. "Over the past two years, he's developed into a great player, one of the best forwards in the state."

Year by year, Clausen pieced his game together, and it paid off in his final season.

Delbarton coach David Donovan said things weren't always easy for Clausen, but he met every challenge. After playing JV his sophomore year and continuing to develop as a junior, Donovan said everything clicked in his final season.

"Senior year, he took responsibility, not only for himself, but for the team as well," he said. "It's been great, and he's really matured as a player."

Clausen will attend Haverford College in Pennsylvania next year, where he will continue his soccer career.

While he'll look forward to more success at the collegiate level, Clausen will always have the memory of his senior year to look back on.

Clausen and the rest of Delbarton had high hopes entering the season, but he said the end result went beyond those hopes as the team finished 23-1.

"It really surpassed my expectations. I didn't really know what it would feel like to win a state championship," he said. "I've experienced every part of the Delbarton soccer program. All of the coaches are great, all the kids in the program are great. It was just a great thing to be a part of."

His final memory of Delbarton will be scoring the winning goal, and there are plenty of pictures to chronicle the celebration.

Looking back on Clausen's reaction — taking off his jersey and running to his teammates and fans — Donovan said it's an unforgettable moment. And while Clausen's reaction might not entirely follow Delbarton's philosophy, Donovan is perfectly happy with it.

"We're about character, unity and professionalism," he said, "but that was an exception. He's allowed to do that."

Team of the year: Pequannock proved to be one of the most consistent teams in Morris County all season, playing well on both ends of the field as it finished the year 15-4-1. The team averaged more than three goals per game and recorded six shutouts on the season.

Senior Eric Steed paced the offense throughout the season, and early on, as his team opened with a 14-0-1 record, he proved to be too much for defenses to handle. In Pequannock's first 7 games, Steed scored 12 goals. He finished the season with 22.

Pequannock earned the top seed in the North 1, Group 2 tournament, but it ultimately lost to Mountain Lakes in the sectional quarterfinals. Three of Pequannock's four losses came by only one goal.

Pequannock proved to be one of Morris' most talented teams, and it's consistency throughout the season earned it the No. 2 spot in the final county rankings.

Coach of the year: Russ Raffay never stopped believing. He saw the talent and the potential. He knew things would turn around.

After Mendham started the season 1-10-2, Raffay and his players kept working. While they expected an improvement, they did a lot more.

Mendham won three of its four final regular season games, and it carried that momentum into the state tournament. After knocking off top-seeded Gov. Livingston in the first round of the North 2, Group 3 tournament, Mendham went on the capture the sectional title, becoming the first losing team to ever do so.

Mendham ultimately lost in the Group 3 semifinals to unbeaten Ramapo, but the significance of the run was not lost on Raffay.

After Mendham's run ended, Raffay said this is a team that he will certainly never forget.

"They're the best group of guys I ever coached," he said. "They're fun, they're solid citizens. They're just respected in the community, respected in the school."
County champs: A 1-6 start gave Roxbury the 18th seed in the Morris County Tournament, but it certainly didn't play like an 18th seed.

Coach Gary Irwin had his squad firing on all cylinders once the tournament began.

Roxbury won three straight road games to reach the county semifinals. After an impressive 5-1 win to make it four straight, Roxbury earned a matchup against undefeated Delbarton in the final played at Roxbury.

Mount Olive's junior tandem: Ryan Peterson and Anthony Cerda made a name for themselves during their junior campaign. The two forwards led Mount Olive in goals, scoring 21 and 16 goals, respectively.

The two helped Mount Olive to a 12-8-2 season, and they will be primed to continue their strong play next season.

Group 3 sectional powers: Three Morris teams reached Group 3 sectional finals. Mendham was the only team to advance, but it beat fellow Morris team Parsippany Hills. Parsippany Hills won three games to reach the sectional finals as the third seed.

Morris Hills reached the sectional final in North 1, Group 3, but ultimately lost to the eventual group co-champion Ramapo.